Dressmaking form and the like



Oct. 4, 1938. D. LA RUE 2,132,034

DRESSMA'KING FORM AND THE LIKE Filed July 15, 1935 I 3 Sheets-Sheet lWiaz sseas flee Z431? Z 73 er iffaivzfy.

Oct. 4, 1938. D, L RUE 2,132,034

DRESSMAKING FORM AND THE LIKE Filed July 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (I!mm mm m 02 41ml: m ii L 7 7 I j! xwfuwd P3 v93, Mam m 0a.. 4, 1938. D LAE 2,132,034

DRESSMAKING FORM AND THE LIKE Filed July 15 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3fizrerziw;

Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE DRESSMAKING FORM ANDTHE LIKE Dee La. Rue, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 15, 1935, Serial No. 31,368

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dressmaking forms and thelike.

.An object of the invention, among others, is the provision of means formaking a dressmaking form in two or more sections which form so made insections may be collapsed or expanded. It is desirable to make a dressin as form fitting a manner as possible and to that end, I have provideda device which, for example, in its expanded lo form may constitute athirty-six form or other form. When it is desired to fit a dress on theform, the form may be collapsed and the dress slipped over the form andthe form may be expanded to its thirty-six condition, when, whereas ifthe form was not collapsed it would be impossible without stretching ordamaging the dress to fit it to the form.

Another object, among others, of my invention is the provision ofefficient means for making a dressmaking form collapsible andexpandible, and still another object of the invention is to provide aform of the kind described which is vertically adjustable in a simplemanner.

Another object is the provision of means for permitting such a form toturn and for preventing it from turning.

Another object is the provision of improved marking means for adjustingthe marking device.

Another object, also of great importance, is the provision of seamguiding means on various portions of the form, particularly on the sidesand shoulders whereby an operator is guided to locate a seam where mostdesirable, in a simple manner.

My invention will be of especial advantage in the making of clothes athome. By my invention, persons without expense or talent will easily beable to make dresses themselves in their homes, which dresses will havea. professional appearance and will be made to fit as though they weremade by an expert dressmaker. Specifically, this advantage isaccomplished by outlining the main seams, to wit, the shoulder, underarm seams and direct lines down the front and back, and the collapsiblefeature makes the work simple and fast. By the attached marking device,there is provided a complete organization'for making a complete suit ordress. By the means provided, the process'of making a dress or suit isso simple that it is rendered practically impossible for even the mostinexperienced and least talented to go astray as will be readilymanifest to persons familiar with the subject.

Another object, among others, is the provision of means of the characterdescribed which will be simple of construction, easy of manufacture,attractive, and relatively inexpensive.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

' The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the device in collapsed condition;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device in collapsed condition with thelower part of the stand omitted;

Fig. 3 is a face view of the marking device;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing part of themarking device enlarged;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. showing the devicein expanded condition;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a section taken on the line of Fig. 6, showing the verticaladjusting means;

Fig. 8 is a plan section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6, showing thedevice in expanded condition;

Fig. 9 is an inverted view of the telescoping means of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view taken on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 6, showing thetelescoping arrangement at the top of the form;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on the line Hll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a section taken on the line l2l2 of Fig. 3, illustrating themarking device and illustrated upon an enlarged scale, the element 15being shown in elevation;

Fig. 13 is a section taken on the line l3-l3 of Fig. 1 showing clampingmeans for preventing the form from turning;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged view of the telescoping means.

The preferred form selected in the drawings to illustrate the principleof my invention is mounted as shown in Fig. 1 on a spider base l5 havinga vertical post l6 extending upwardly therefrom.

. A sleeve I! is adapted to telescope on the post l6 and is providedwith a threaded aperture l8 into which a key I9 is adapted to bethreaded. The key, when turned in one direction, is adapted to passthrough the aperture l8 and impinge on the post l6 to hold the form in avariety of vertical positions. When turned the other way, the key isadapted to release the sleeve for desirable adjustment.

For mounting the dressmaking form on the sleeve l! the sleeve isprovided at its upper end with a circular flange 20 and a collar 2|, asparticularly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A plate 22 is adapted to rest onthe flange 23 beneath the collar 2|, said plate 22 being provided withan aperture 23 through which the sleeve extends. This arrangementprovides for a pivotal movement of the form, hereinafter to bedescribed, about the sleeve The plate 22 may be fixed by means ofscrews, or other similar means, at one end to the right side portion 24,as viewed looking at Figs. 1 and 6, to a web 25. The other end of plate22 extends into and reciprocates in a guide member 25 as shownparticularly in Figs. 6 and 9. The guide member 26 is mounted on theunderside of the left hand portion 21 of the web 25.

As particularly shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the right hand portion 24, andthe left hand portion 2'! of the web 25 are secured to a forming wall 28which may be formed of paper pulp or other material. The paper pulp wall28, which is made to the form in expanded condition of a female body ofa deflnite measurement, is shown made up of aright hand body section 29as viewed looking at Figs. 1 and 8,.comprising oneehalf of the front andonehalf of the back, .as will be readily understood from anexaminatio-nof the drawings, and also a left-hand body section 39 comprisingone-half of the front and one-half of the back.

The wall 28, on eachside and on the inside thereof, is provided with areenforcing metal strip 3| extending from the shoulder to the hip, bymeans of bolts and nuts, as particularly shown in Figs. 6 and 8.

I have attached to my dressmaking form a seam guiding means. On theoutside of the wall 28 on each side there is provided a metal T-shapedseam guide extending from below the arm pit to the hip, also on theoutside of the wall 28 on the center line of each shoulder is provided aT- "of these cover plates 43 and 44 is provided with an shaped seamguide 33, said guides 32 and 33 being secured to the wall 28 by means ofthe bolts and nuts which secure the strips 3| to the wall 28.

Hinged to the web 25 is a pair of pivoting elements 34 by means ofhinges 35. The pivoting elements 34 are also hinged to each other bymeans of hinges 36. One of the hinges36 has a pin 31 which protrudesinto a reciprocating bar 38 pivoted to an operating member 39, suchfeatures being clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 8.

For operation by the hand, the operating member 39 is provided with ahead 49, and beneath the head 49 of the operating member 39 is a flangedstud 4|, as shown particularly in Fig. 11. Resting on this flange 4| isan apertured circular disk 42.

Resting on top of the disk 42 are a. pair of telescoping cover plates;that is, a reciprocating right hand cover plate 43 and a left hand coverplate 44, as very clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Each elongated slot45 and also the cover plates 43 and 44 have aprons 46 which haveoverlapping telescoping portions 41. The aprons 45 may be secured to theneckportion of the pulp wall 28 by screws 48 as shown in Fig. 11, thusalso securing the coverrplates in place. Resting on right hand coverplate 43 is an apertured top cover disk49, as clearly shown in Figs. 10and 11, similar to the disk 42. The head4| may have pinned to it alocking collar 50 as shown in Fig. 11. The stud 4|, it will be apparent,that circles the operating member 39, acts as a guide for it and extendsdown through theslots in the plates and the apertures in the disks, theplates and disks resting on the flange of the stud and the collarsecuring the plates and disks in place.

Secured to the forming member 28 is a web 5| similar to the web 25,having a similar right hand portion 52 and left hand portion 53. It willbe understood that the web 5| which is located in the lower part of thebody and the web part which is located in the upper part of the body areeach cut away for the reception of the sleeve IT. A pair of pivotingelements 54 similar to the pivoting elements 34 are also provided andsecured to the members 52 and 53 by hinges 55, the pivoting elements 54are also hinged together by means of hinges 55. One of the hinges 55 hasan elongated pin 5! which protrudes into an aperture in thereciprocating bar 38 in the same manner that the pin 31 does.

It will be understood, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 that when theoperating head 49 is lifted upwardly the reciprocating bars 33 and 39will be lifted up, which will cause pins 3! and 51 to be liftedupwardly, which in turn will cause the pivoting elements 34 and 54 to bedrawn upwardly which in turn willjas shown'in'dotted lines in Fig. 1,cause the right hand body portion 29 and the lefthand body portion 39 tobe drawn to each other to collapse the figure. It will be understoodthat the degree to which they are moved to each other will depend uponthe movement of v The right hand bodyportion 29 and the left.

the operating head 43.

hand body portion 39 are. each reenforced by a transverse U-shaped-metal strip 58, which may be secured by screws to the body portions 29and 30 and the web 5|, as shown clearly in Fig. 5.

The body portions 29 and 30 are further reenforced by a pair of verticalmetal strips '59, as

particularly shown in Figs. 5, 6, 8 and 14, which may be attached bybolts to the wall 28. Theseoentral verticalline of the frontof the formand i verticalmetal strips 59 arelocated adjacent the the centralvertical line of the back of the form.

The body portions .29 and 39 are each provided with a pair of verticalnotchesfiil as shown in Fig. 14, also located adjacent the centralvertical line in the front of the form and the central line in the backof the form adjacent and parallel the strips 29, but on the oppositeside of the wall 28. Located in each notch Bfl'is a telescoping casing6| having rears 52 which may be secured by the bolts which secure themembers 5.9 tothe forming wall 28. Each telescoping casing is providedwith a head 63, in the form shown, and located in each pair of casingsis astop member 54 provided with beads 65. Each stop member is alsoprovided with a flanged seam guide 66. a

Also provided are means to prevent the dressmaking form from turning.Mounted in the right hand portion 52 of the web 5| is a rigid post 6'!with a flanged end said post extending dow'n wardly from the portion52.. A clamping 'member 58, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 13, whichclamping member may have a felt inset 39 ,en-

circling the sleeve l1, and the clamping member 68 is provided with legs19 that encompass the posts 51 also. The legs w are provided withapertures,

be locked against I tending upwardly therefrom, is a stud 13, as shownclearly in Fig. 1, which stud by means of a wing nut supports a scale 14having an inturned end provided with inch indications, as clearly shownin Fig. 3. In ordinary use, the scale itself does not actually measurefrom the floor but instead, the bottom ofthe scale may be positionedabout two inches from the floor so the inch indicator 1, will indicate aheight about three inches from the floor which will automatically bepromptly understood by those familiar with the subject. The scalesupports or marking device it, as shown clearly in Figs. 4 and 12, hasan offset aperture arm H with a slot 18 in which the scale extends.Adapted to extend in to a threaded aperture in the arm 11 is a narrowscrew 19 which when secured inwardly toward the scale, impinges againstthe scale and holds the marking device into whatever position it isadjusted. The marking device has integrally formed therewith a flaredarm forming a guide with the arm I! for marking and for properlypositioning and passing the material through the marking device. Adaptedto be retained in the marking device 16 is a piece of chalk 8|, whichchalk may be held in position by a flat spring 82, as clearly shown inFig. 4. The chalk is adjustable by a threaded bolt 83 extending upwardlythrough a threaded aperture in the marking device. The chalk is set, aswill be understood by those skilled in the art, to mark the bottom of askirt 8% for example, as shown in Fig. 4. The goods may be passed overthe chalk to the left, looking 'at Fig. 4. A guiding ledge is alsoprovided on the marking device to prevent catching and stretching of thematerial as it is passed through the marking device. In the preferreduse of the chalk, as shown inFig. 4, chalk is usually flush with theguiding ledge 85 and the bottom of the skirt may be marked by passing aportion of the skirt between the two hands and rubbing it on the chalk.It will be understood that if the chalk needs to be raised up after usefor some time, all that is necessary is to manipulate the threaded bolt83 which will automatically push the chalk up according to the turngiven.

With respect-to the operation of the device, a person desiring to usethe dressmaking form for a fitting, for example, may start with the formshown in the condition of Fig. 1, to wit, its collapsed condition. If,for example, the form in its expanded condition is a size 36 form, and asize 36 dress is intended,,it ,may be seen that if the form is collapsedfrom its 36 size to the condition shown in Fig. 1 there will be nodifficulty in slipping the dress on the form. The degree of telescopingor collapsing and expansion may be varied, of course. I have found itsatisfactory to provide for a collapsing of about an inch in front andan inch in back, making a total collapse and reduction in circumferenceof about two inches.

After the dress has been slipped on the form in the collapsed conditionof the form the form may be expanded by pushing down on the head 40.This will result in the reciprocating bar 38 pushing the pins 31 and 5'!downwardly which results in the pairs of pivoting elements 34 and 54being moved downwardly and flattened out to push the two body portions29 and 30 in opposite directions, or away from each other. As the bodyportions are pushed away from each other each of the two pairs ofcasings, one on the front of the form, and one on the back of the formwill also be pushed away from each other, being fixed to the baseportion, and will separate until the beads 65cm the stop members 64engage the beads 63 onthe casings, when the stop members 64 will limitfurther diverse movement. Fig. 8 shows clearly how there is a pair ofcasings on each side of a form, that is, one centrally located in thefront and one centrally located in the back, each engaging also with astop member 64. At the same time that this telescoping action is takingplace between the stop members and casings aforesaid, a telescopingaction will be taking place in the neck portion, as shown in Fig. 11,where the neck portion is shown in its expanded condition. When the bodyportions 29 and 36, as shown in Fig. 11, are moved in oppositedirections by the pivoting elements 34 and 54 aforementioned, the coverplate as will be moved in one direction and this will be made possibleby the elongated slot in the cover plate 43 into which the sleeve 39extends, and the cover plate 44 attached to the left hand body section30 will be moved in the opposite direction this being permitted by theelongated slot in the cover plate 44. When the cover plates are so drawnin opposite directions, there is no unattractive appearance inasmuch asthe top disk 59 is large enough to cover the elongated slot and adjacentportions of the cover plates, so that the elongated slot is not Visibleat any time. It will also be seen at the same time, the overlappingportions 57 of the aprons it permit expansion and preserve an attractiveexterior.

By the means shown in Fig. 7 it will be understood that desirablevertical adjustment may be had with respect to the dressmaking formitself.

Seam guides 32, 33. and 66 are also an important feature of myconstruction. By the use of these, when the form is in expandedcondition a seam may be easily and accurately made as the members 32 and33 and 66 will form a simple,

readily apparent straight line guide, at the same time conforming to thebody.

At this stage it will be assumed that the form will not be in a turnablecondition, and to accomplish this result the mechanism shown in Fig. 13will have been utilized. When it is desired to mark the bottom of askirt, my device may be made turnable and to accomplish this, the wingnut shown in Fig. 13 may be loosened to loosen the hold of the'clarnpingdevice on the sleeve Il.

When such has been done the forming device will be free to turn andpivot on the flange 26.

When the device has been made pivotable the marking device may beadjusted so that the chalk will be a height corresponding to theintended length of the skirt. The height of the marking device can beadjusted by manipulation of a nut 79. When this has been done all thatis necessary is to collapse the material and fold it back to form a hem,with the bottom of the hem of such a length as to permit chalking of it.When this has been done all that is necessary is to rub the bottom ofthe hem or skirt on the chalking device passing it about through thefingers and over the chalk through the guide members 11 and Bil. Whenthis has been done the head 40 may be pulled upwardly which willcollapse the dressmaking form and enable the dress to be easily liftedoff the form.

While I have illustrated and described the tions and modifications ascome within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I body portion for contractingand expanding the same and. stop members arranged between the adjacentedges of said parts to limit the expansion of the device, said stopmembers telescoping within the edges of the form parts substantially asdescribed.

3. In a dressmaking form, a body portion divided vertically into parts,means within said body portion for contracting and expanding the same,and stop members for limiting the expansion of the body portion, saidstop members comprising closure plates arranged between the adjacentedges of the form parts and co-operating beads on the closure plates andthe form parts adapted to engage when the device is expanded,substantially as described.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 further characterizedby outwardlyextending ridges formed on said stop members, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a dressmaking form a body portion divided vertically into twoparts, horizontal webs within said parts, means connectingsaid webs forexpanding and contracting the form, a transverse plate fixed to one ofsaid webs and a sliding A connection between the same and the other web,

said plate having a longitudinal slot, a supporting member extendingvertically within the form and through said slot, and means on said supporting member forming a rotatable connection 45:: between said plateand said supporting member,

substantially as described.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by means onsaid supporting member, below the body portion, for locking said bodyand said supporting member against relative rotation, substantially asdescribed.

'7. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which the vertical supportingmember comprises atube, in combination with a stand, including avertical extending rod telescoping within said supporting tube, andmeans on the lower end of saidtube for clamping the same in verticallyadjusted position on the rod, substantially as described.

8. In a dress form, a body portion divided vertically into two parts,horizontally disposed web.

members in each of said parts, a sliding connection between said webs,a' central vertically disposed supporting member extending within thebody portion, a rotary connection between said sliding connection andsaid supporting member, a toggle lever connecting said webs and meansadapted for vertical reciprocation for actuating said toggle lever tocontract and expand the body portion, substantially'as described.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 in combination with means on saidsupporting member below the body portion for locking the body portionand the supporting memberagainst relative rotation, substantially asdescribed.

10. In a dressmaking form a fixed support, a form vertically adjustableon said support and rotatable in its vertically adjusted position, incombination with a skirt marker fixed to the support, substantiallyas-described.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10 in which the marker isnon-rotatably connected to the support and vertically adjustablethereon, substantially as described.

12. A dressmaking form comprising a body portion divided vertically intotwo parts, means for expanding and contracting the same, a verticalsupport for said body and a closure for the upper end of said bodyportion comprising a pair of closure plates fixed to the body partsrespectively and having their inner edges overlapping, said plates beingslotted to receive said support, substantially as described.

13. A device as set forth in claim 12- further characterized by a coverplate mounted on the support and covering said slots in the closureplates, substantially as described.

14. A device as set forth in claim 12 further characterized by a pair ofsuperposed spaced plates mounted on said support and between which theoverlapping edges of the closure plates telescope, substantially asdescribed.

' DEE LA RUE.

